Defendant denies charges in shooting death of his wife

Bourne Huddleston pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges that he tried to hire a second person to murder his wife before he allegedly shot and killed her on March 23 at their home on Pioneer Road near Medford.

Bourne Huddleston pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges that he tried to hire a second person to murder his wife before he allegedly shot and killed her on March 23 at their home on Pioneer Road near Medford.

The ex-Marine faces four additional felony charges stemming from testimony from a second witness who said Huddleston tried to hire him to kill 34-year-old Kristy Huddleston.

"This second witness said he was approached by Mr. Huddleston to murder his wife," said prosecutor David Hoppe.

The same grand jury that indicted Huddleston on six Measure 11 counts related to her death added charges of attempted aggravated murder, solicitation to commit aggravated murder, attempted murder and solicitation to commit murder, Hoppe said.

Police and Jackson County Fire District No. 5 responded to the Huddlestons' home at 6645 Pioneer Road after a 911 call reported Kristy Huddleston bleeding at 2:10 a.m. on March 23.

Police tracked Bourne Huddleston to an Eagle Point residence where he was arrested without incident.

The couple's 10-year-old son was in the Pioneer Road home at the time of the shooting and called police.

Following his plea on Wednesday, Huddleston was ordered back to the Jackson County Jail, where he remained without bail.

A pretrial hearing has been set for May 21.

Hoppe said a trial is still several months away.

"Typically in a murder case it can take anywhere from eight months to a year before there is a trial," Hoppe said.

Kristy Huddleston was a nurse care manager for the Department of Veterans Affairs' Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics in White City.